Safe Haven: Season 2
by imagine.believe
Summary: Much to her distress, Gwen could only silently watch Reine's descend into a pit of darkness of her lost love. It was just a beginning of a chain of more losses for Reine, known and unknown. Determined to be there for her sister, Gwen took the pill that prolonged her life, risking her own humanity. But none of them know, this is not the last of what Fates have in store for them...
1. The Crimson Eye

_Hello, everyone! Welcome to the second season of Safe Haven! For those of you who have been following the first season, welcome back! I'm sorry that it took the sequel pretty long to be published! For those of you who stumbled upon this story without having read the first season, welcome and thanks for clicking in! I would really suggest you take a look at the first season, though, since this story literally picks up after the events in the first season. Otherwise, you might be confused as to certain events and felt left out from certain knowledge, and I wouldn't want you to not enjoy this story to the fullest :( please head to my profile and check out the first season!_

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon, as well as any referenced materials contained in here, except for the prequel to this story! The disclaimer I have put out in Season 1 also applies for this story, too._

 _Without further ado..._

* * *

 _"Vampire venom?"_

 _The town doctor nodded slowly. "It has been diluted enough times so that you do not transform into a vampire. In the right dose, the venom can counteract your cancerous cells."_

 _"In the right dose…" she mused absent-mindedly while staring at the bottle in front of her. "And… you're sure this is the right dose?"_

 _"Truthfully, I cannot say. We have never had humans in this town and my only source was the theoretical knowledge that I have on this particular substance, together with Allen's… practical knowledge._ _It's entirely up to you, of course, but must I remind you that time is not in your favor?_ _"_

* * *

Gwen wiped off the countertop, washed the cloth and hung it dry on the nearby rack. _That should take care of it_ , she thought. She wiped off the sweat that began to form on her forehead, slightly irritated by how her fringe decided to stick to her skin, but at the same time grateful for the very same thing. She had almost forgotten how it felt to have her head covered by hair. She was even grateful by how the ends of her hair tickled her neck and shoulders.

Before she knew it, a year had passed since they first came to this town. Since then, their lives had tremendously changed. Subconsciously, Gwen gritted her teeth and clenched her fist until her knuckles turned white.

"Don't ruin your beautiful face with such expression, Guinevere Elizabeth."

Gwen looked up and saw Allen, gracefully sitting on her windowsill, smiling, as if nothing was wrong. "Since when you…"

"Since you were cleaning the stove. I'm surprised you didn't notice, but I guess human senses are not meant to detect us."

 _Human…_

That word comforted and saddened her at the same time, bringing her back to a particular day last winter…

* * *

 _The cold pierced her skin mercilessly and that was when it came back: the feeling of being suffocated out of her last breath. She coughed uncontrollably and, surely enough, felt the warm blood gushing out of her mouth. She fell on the floor, desperately trying to contain her coughs to no avail._

No, I can't! Not now… not when she needs me…

 _It was then she heard the door burst open. "Guinevere Elizabeth!"_

 _From all people in the town, only one person would bother to call her such. That vampire._

 _Another moment, he was already kneeling down next to her, cradling her carefully in his arms. He was about to pick her up when she coughed up another batch of fresh blood, literally under the nose of a blood-vore. Gwen saw his muscles tensed as his blue eyes grew darker._

Is this how it's going to end? Is he going to eat me now?

 _"The pills, Guinevere Elizabeth… The pills Klaus gave you… where are they?"_

 _Gwen held her breath and he grew impatient._

 _"The pills! Tell me where, now!"_

 _She weakly pointed out the drawer where she kept them untouched. Allen, with his unnatural speed, rushed there and took the bottle out. He took a moment to read the piece of paper accompanying it, went to the kitchen, and in a flash he was already beside her with a glass of water, a saucer, and a wooden spoon. He took three red-colored pills from the bottle, opened them one by one, and poured the white powder into the saucer. He mixed the powder with a bit of water, just enough to dissolve it._

 _He helped her up and brought the saucer to her lips. "I knew you're not taking these, and I try to respect your choice. It is not as easy as it sounds, even for me. Now, even if it is against my belief to disrespect a lady, if you don't drink this now, I will have to force this liquid down your throat."_

 _With the energy she had left, she tried to resist him. "Allen… I…"_

 _"You do not have time, woman."_

 _"If I drink this… will I… stop being human?"_

 _Allen hesitated a bit. "I know enough humans that would kill to survive. To live longer."_

* * *

Gwen offered him a weak smile and he returned it in kind with his signature smug side grin, one that allowed one of his fangs to peeked out between his lips. "That's better. Much better, in fact, Guinevere Elizabeth."

"Is there anything I could assist you with?"

Allen chuckled. "What could a fragile human like you help me with? You even need my venom to survive now. Far from that, Guinevere Elizabeth, it is _you_ who needed my assistance, and I'm happy to give it."

"Huh?"

"Klaus is looking for you."

Gwen froze at the mention of his name. _What could possibly happen this time?_

* * *

 _While at first glance it seemed that the town was running as usual, that name was not mentioned anywhere. It became a taboo. The empty spot on the plaza became a silent, but painful reminder of what had happened—or rather, what was missing._

 _Gwen and Rod had found her in Neil's house after Reine didn't come back for two nights. She sat down on the floor, the blanket loosely covering her body from the winter chill, her eyes staring blankly into the distance. When Gwen touched her, she only said two words:_

 _"He left."_

 _Those were her last words about him, and the only direct statement about Neil's sudden disappearance. There was no letter, no trace, nothing at all._

 _Ever since then, Reine rarely spoke to anyone. Even when she was spoken to, she kept her responses curt. Her conversation was limited mainly to dealing with her customers—even that part of her job was sometimes taken over by Rod on her worse days. Besides that, Reine spent most of her free time in the forest. Rod, who had been faithfully trailing her, told Gwen that Reine mostly spent her time sitting alone on the cliff overlooking the town. Sometimes, the wolf pack came and accompanied her; she was slowly accepted as part of the pack. Gwen was sure that Reine noticed it too; she slowly turned into what Neil had been. Gwen couldn't really be sure whether that was what Reine wanted—whether this was intentional on her part as a way to remember him by—but a part of Gwen had accepted that she would never get back her sister the way she had been. The saying "love changes someone" couldn't be any truer here… perhaps, what they had was really love._

 _But why did he leave her?_

 _That was a question that she might not get an answer for in this lifetime._

* * *

"Bad news?" she asked nervously as she put her arms around his neck.

"I don't know, to be honest. Klaus just told me to get you, and I thought you might want to get there sooner than later."

"Shouldn't we call Rod?"

"Who do you take me for? I'm already ahead of you, Guinevere Elizabeth."

As expected of Allen, they reached the clinic just as he finished his sentence. Rod was already there with Klaus, and Gwen could see that there was someone else too, someone she did not know.

The fifth person was a young woman around her age, and the first word Gwen could think of when she saw her was "striking". How could not she be? Her hair was dark brown that slowly transitioned into golden hair as it cascaded down her back; her eyes was clear green, mostly, with a noticeable section somehow colored in dark purplish-red—they were such a contrast to her noticeably pale skin; when she grinned, she revealed a popped-out canine, just like the one of Gwen's baby canines.

Her outfit was no less striking: she wore a tight, black tank-top under a pink denim jacket with a matching mini skirt. Between her tank-top and her skirt, she sported a wide, white belt with a metallic rose buckle. She also put on a pair of black, knee-high platform boots. As for accessories, she seemed to be partial to rings; she sported some metallic rings in both of her hands. It was something Gwen recalled Reine loved doing back when they were still carefree with their lives.

"You must be Gwen!" she exclaimed without hesitation.

"How do you know me—wait no, that's not important right now—doctor, did something happen to my sister?"

Klaus nodded. "She just regained her consciousness."

The doctor's words were like an oasis in the middle of a desert. Gwen beamed into a smile. "Can I see her?" she asked excitedly.

"Actually, it's also about time to remove the bandage around her eye."

* * *

 _It was raining cats and dogs and Reine was still out. There would be nowhere else she would be but the forest. They just had another Moonlight Festival yesterday—the second one since his departure. Gwen kept telling herself that she didn't need to worry about Reine; she could take care of herself, and the wolves would be around for her, too. However, when she heard a loud howl piercing the rain, Gwen started to worry. She began to pace up and down the house._

 _Her worst fear came true when she saw Rod in front of her house, panting, telling her that he would carry her to the clinic. When she arrived, she couldn't see Reine—Klaus was too busy to save her life. Rod knelt on the ground, his back hunched over as his forehead was pressed firmly to the cold floor, as he apologized profusely. Reine had been savagely attacked by a horde of snakes; he wasn't there to help her in time because earlier she had shunned his company._

 _"Snakes? But… it couldn't be too bad, right? I mean… Dr. Klaus can do wonders and these snakes are… just snakes, right?"_

 _"They were no ordinary snakes for your kind," Klaus walked in. "Their venom is especially deadly to mortals."_

 _Gwen held her breath. "But, you're here already—so my sister is…"_

 _"Alive, barely, but technically, it wasn't me who saved her."_

 _"What?"_

 _The old doctor looked at her, and Gwen swore she could see a sliver of pity in his stone-cold face. "Tell me!" she insisted._

 _"I'm not sure you are aware of this fact—I'm not sure even your sister is aware of the fact, too, but your sister had been carrying."_

 _Gwen did not immediately understand what the doctor was talking about, but she did not take too long to catch up. "Carrying… as in… are you telling me she's pregnant?"_

 _"_ Was _pregnant."_

 _Gwen's eyes widened in a mixture shock and grief as her jaw dropped in the revelation; she was even too overwhelmed to cry._

 _"The first possibility is that, looking at the bite pattern and the defensive wounds your sister sustains, the snakes did prey for the fetus inside of her. But, I uncovered a very peculiar phenomenon while trying to drain the venom. It was concentrated inside of her womb. It was as if the fetus prevented the venom to spread out—no, the fetus was sucking in most of the venom, because I recovered very minimal trace from her arms. Snake bites could not penetrate her womb, but her amniotic sac was highly contaminated by the venom, and the fetus drank it—all the fluids inside of the fetus was practically the venom itself. As in the nature of the venom, it travelled to the point where its concentration diminished very quickly, which, in this case, was in her womb. Could it be that the fetus recognized that it had a considerably stronger genetic composition than its mother? It truly is a mystery, even for me, but I saw what I saw… such an instinct—but, I digress, there is something more important you needed to know."_

 _"What?"_

 _"There were some bites far away from her torso. I could drain most of the remaining venom… but not all. A particular area proved to be too difficult for me to drain the venom from properly."_

 _"And that is…?"_

 _"Her right eye."_

* * *

After helping Reine to sit, leaning on her bed, Klaus briefed her on what had happened to her on that fateful night—mercifully omitting the fact about her miscarriage—as well as what he was going to do afterwards. Reine nodded in understanding, showing none of her emotion. It would be rather unthinkable last year, but it was something that Gwen had even expected from the current Reine, to be honest.

"Who are here?" Reine asked.

"Me," Gwen replied almost immediately. "There's also Rod, Allen, and…"

Gwen realized she had no idea who the stranger girl was and she didn't realize that she had been following them into this room. "It's Hati!" the girl introduced herself before anyone else could speak.

Reine nodded again and strangely, asked nothing about Hati.

"Are you ready, Reine?" the doctor asked.

For the third time, she nodded.

Gwen watched with bated breath as Klaus began to remove the bandage covering Reine's sole good eye. It almost felt like an eternity; each loop of the bandage chipping away her lifespan. Gwen held her breath when she saw the layers of wrapping began to thin out and revealing a white padding over Reine's right eye. Klaus took the padding off and asked Reine to open her eyes. To everyone's surprise, Reine's right eye had transformed into crimson—such a contrast to her green left eye. But, that wouldn't be their primary concern now.

"Reine? How is it?"

Reine blinked once, then twice. She closed her eyes while taking a deep breath, then exhaling it from her slightly opened mouth as her eyelids began to open again—not fully, but enough for them to see her eyes, and then shook her head slowly.

"No!" Gwen cried out hysterically, as she ran to Reine—pushing Klaus aside on the way—and embraced her sister, clinging on to her. "Tell me it's not true, Reine!"

"What is?" Reine asked calmly, rather, emotionlessly.

"That you're blind!"

Reine didn't take any moment to ponder, and she answered so matter-of-factly: "That would be a lie now, isn't it?"

* * *

 _In a year, Gwen watched her sister lost her lover, what remained from their memory, and now her only eye..._

 _How would they cope?... and who is Hati?_

 _Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

 _Thanks for reading! Please follow, favorite, rate and review! ^^_

 _A/N: the "vampire venom" pills were briefly, and indirectly mentioned in the Season 1 (Chapter 15, to be exact). Gwen had been reluctant to take it because of its ingredients, but as seen above, Allen practically forced the pills into Gwen when she was dying around the time after Neil's disappearance._


	2. Forget-Me-Not

_Hey everyone, thanks for the review, faves and follows! I'm glad to know that you haven't forgotten about Safe Haven ^^_

 _To clarify: Gwen is NOT a vampire, but there is a small amount of vampire venom in her system to fight off her cancer. Dr Klaus had told her that vampire venom, in the right dose, will help eliminate cancerous cell in human and Gwen's mortality is still pointed out in the story, as you will see later._

 _Shipper-Girl-27: hey there! Thanks for coming back! I hope you do enjoy the continuance of the Safe Haven saga ^^_

* * *

Ever since Reine was bedridden, Gwen had taken over as the proprietress of the general store. She woke up just after sunrise, prepared the wagon, and then rode over to the usual spot. Gwen never had the compulsion to move the spot for the general store, even if it meant leaving half of the plaza conspicuously empty. She would usually close the store around sunset.

However, today there was no wagon set up on the plaza. Gwen had spent every hour, asleep and awake, in the clinic. Reine was, in no way, a difficult patient to tend to; she ate when she was supposed to, she was compliant when Gwen changed her clothes and cleaned her, and she never made any unreasonable demand. In fact, she barely made any demand. Reine ate anything she was served with, even vegetables that she did not particularly like. Gwen thought she would have leapt in joy, rather, her heart took another hit and fell deeper into the sorrow of looking at how Reine had been reduced to a shell of her former self.

Rod usually visited sometime around sunset. When he was around, Gwen excused herself and took a walk into the woods. She always had a particular spot in mind; a secluded spot nearby the waterfall. That was where Reine was found, half-dead, with a pool of blood forming beneath her, surrounded by the wolves who came too late to prevent the attack but protected her from further assault. Now, that spot was covered by a bed of forget-me-nots. The soft blue blossom of the tiny flowers stood out from the plain grass; it was Rio's idea to have it there, and Gwen thought it was poignantly fitting to mark where Reine's would-have-been baby was laid to rest.

Forget-me-not.

Remembrance, fidelity through separation.

Tears began to flow across her cheeks. "I'm sorry…" she muttered softly. "Your mother might never know you existed, but I swear I will never forget you. Thank you for saving your mother… thank you for saving my sister… and I'm sorry. I'm sorry… I can never tell her about you."

* * *

 _Her dark hair fell down gracefully as she bent down to pluck a single stalk of forget-me-not. Even in her small hand, it still looked so tiny—like a baby. She twirled it between her fingers and smiled absent-mindedly._

 _"The pastor told me… this is called forget-me-not," she told him. "Why?"_

 _"What do you mean by why?" he asked good-naturedly, as he walked slowly towards her._

 _She turned to face him, her small face looked concerned, with her brows furrowed together and lips pursed tightly. The black smears from coal on her milky skin and the ragged dress could not hide the beauty that she was. "Forget-me-not… it's like… don't forget about me, right? Why would you name a flower like that?"_

 _"Flowers are messengers. You use them to convey certain thoughts and feelings to another. This one—" he took the flower from her and put it right before her eyes. "—asks whoever receives this to remember the sender. It also says 'keep your faith in my love for you'."_

 _Allen slipped the flower on the corner of her ear, tucking in her fringe in the process. "A fitting flower for you, dear Elizabeth…"_

* * *

Decades later, Allen learned another, a more somber meaning of forget-me-nots: a symbol for a doomed love—which was why the plea to 'forget-me-not'. Looking back, perhaps he should have known that his love for her sealed his Elizabeth's doom.

He silently watched Guinevere Elizabeth weeping before the bed of forget-me-nots, muttering repeated apology to the one resting beneath it. How fitting, how tragically fitting, that baby-could-have-been was marked by flowers symbolizing star-crossed lovers and unforgettable memory at the same time.

She turned around, seemingly surprised at his presence. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough," he replied simply.

Allen walked towards her, knelt down and plucked one of the flowers. "Do you want to know something about these pretty little ones?"

"I have a feeling you're going to tell me anyway."

"They're flowers for star-crossed lovers."

She chuckled wryly. "How fitting."

"That's what I thought, too."

Gwen wiped the trace of her tears and said, "I should go back to her."

"I'll go with you."

She nodded in silence and they left.

A moment after they left, another figure came into view, jumping down from a nearby branch, landing just right before the flowerbed. She crouched down and stretched out her hand, barely touching the flower by her fingertips.

Her head bowed down, her two-toned hair slowly slipped down from her shoulder across her leather jacket. An overwhelming sadness took over her being, filling her to its fullest, and she began to weep.

"This is where you are… hm?"

* * *

When Gwen and Allen reached the clinic, Rod was still attending to Reine's bedside—but there was someone else that Gwen had never seen before. He was tall and dressed in black clothes; he wore a black cowboy hat over his silvery hair. His skin, from the little she could see from his back, was kissed by the sun. Gwen burst into the room and Allen followed her.

"Who are you?!"

He turned around and studied Gwen carefully. "This town has grown lax."

Allen snickered. "None of your business any longer now, Vaughn?"

Gwen turned towards Allen. "You know him?"

"He used to live here for a few years. Our former animal dealer." Allen faced him again, his smile turned into a disgusted expression. "I thought you have nothing more to do with us, low-born."

"Cocky bastard, as always."

"What're you doing here?"

Vaughn pointed at Reine's direction. "She's Neil's lover, right?"

Everyone held their breath—even Allen. No one in town dared to mention Neil's name around Reine, much less reminding her of their past. Vaughn just broke that taboo.

Gwen clenched her fist. " _That name…_ " she hissed. "Don't you dare—"

"'Former' might be more accurate," Reine interjected Gwen calmly. "I'm not too sure myself." The lack of emotion in her tone still managed to shock Gwen; never mind being indifferent to her food or the kind of clothes she would be wearing today, Gwen thought Reine would at least show some sadness or anger when being reminded of Neil; she knew the old Reine would, no matter how hard she tried to hide or deny it.

"You're his Eve," Vaughn repeated.

"His lover, his Eve… what significance does it hold now?" Reine asked flatly. "I see nothing."

This time, it was Vaughn's turn to hold his breath in a mixture of shock, and perhaps anger at Reine's apparent aloofness towards the topic. "You know nothing, woman."

"I don't," Reine agreed without pausing a beat. "I don't even know whether he is still alive as we speak."

* * *

Vaughn was silenced by Reine's last response, and Allen took the quick decision to escort him out beyond the border of the Mist to prevent worsening of the situation. Reine's lack of emotion could not be any clearer now—if topics surrounding her past couldn't incite any kind of emotion from her, everyone doubted anything would. This absence of emotions had piqued the doctor's interest, too, and he assured Gwen that he would look into it.

There was no question that Gwen would remain by Reine's side, but that night was especially chilly. When the wind was stale, Gwen could still feel goosebumps crawling over her uncovered skin; when the wind did pass, it sent chill down her spine. Gwen looked at the sky through the clinic window; tonight was a new moon. Gwen decided to borrow a lantern from the clinic and made a quick trip home to grab her sweater.

The road was empty, no one in sight—at least, that's what she initially thought. Slowly, she could make out a shadowy figure at the distance. "A young maiden wandering these dark roads tonight… what a sight."

It was not a voice Gwen could recognize; it was shrilly, cold but inviting at once. Gwen remained still but raised her lantern, hoping to shed some light on the stranger. When the stranger walked into the light, Gwen saw small, old woman with a hunched back. Her hair was silvery, with a faint tint of pink—maybe how Reine's would look like when she turned that old, too—and it was arranged in a high, spiraling bun above her head, like a variation of the French bun. The toll of the years was evident on her skin, the drooping layers, the wrinkles, the dark spots; her uneven teeth suggested a hard life. She wore primarily a black dress with a black veil behind her head, but she also wore a brown shawl to cover her top half.

"And you are…?"

"Call me Sandra—nice name, eh?"

"I've never seen you around…"

"That's because I just arrived. Heard about this… peculiar town, and decided to try my fortune here."

"O-oh, I see…"

Sandra took another step forward and reached out to touch Gwen. Her finger was cold against the younger woman's skin; Gwen could feel the raises and dips on Sandra's finger as the latter moved her finger across her cheek, but she would not say that Sandra's hand was rough. "Such softness… I was young and beautiful once, too."

Unsure what to say, Gwen remained silent. She could feel her heart began to pick up its pace, however, and she couldn't deny the nervousness of being around this old woman—was it because of her outfit? Her time of appearance? Gwen couldn't be too sure about it, but she knew her own feelings well.

"Don't touch her."

Gwen held her breath; this time, she knew very well the owner of that voice. In a blink of an eye, he moved to stand next to her, gripping the old woman's wrist. Sandra stared into the vampire; instead of fear—something that Gwen expected—the old woman was more amused than anything.

"This is most interesting…" Sandra mused. "Truly, even better than all those whispers about this town of echoes."

The old woman laughed, her shrill voice tore the silence of the night. She then turned around and disappeared into the darkness, but it was not the end of the story for Gwen. Allen, for whatever reason, was clearly displeased by her actions.

"What kind of a mortal wanders around near midnight in a town filled with magical creatures?!"

"Since when do I have to report my movements to you? If you must, I'm only going back for a spell to take my warm clothes."

"That's not what I meant. You can wander anywhere you please, but you must be more mindful of your timing! Mortals are cannabis to many magical creatures—and night is the best time for a hunt!"

"You know that woman? Sandra?"

Allen was taken aback by the question, but he quickly regained his composure: "I'll take you home and back to clinic. With me, you don't even need a spell, do you?"

* * *

 _More questions appear in this chapter,_

 _Vaughn, Neil's senior angel, used to live in Echo Town?_

 _Who is this "dear Elizabeth" in Allen's memory?_

 _The mystery surrounding Hati remains something to be watched out for..._

 _and who is Sandra? Why is Allen so guarded around her?_

 _Stay tuned for the next update!_

 _Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think of this chapter!_

 _A/N: So, there is a small call back to the chapter "The Two Elizabeths" back in first season. On the surface, the two Elizabeths seem to be Reine (who Rio hinted as similar to Elizabeth with Neil as her Mr. Darcy) and Gwen, due to her middle name. Exclusively from Allen's POV, however, there is another Elizabeth that he remembers very well and very fondly, his forget-me-not, so to speak. This would hopefully answer one of teamBLAZE's question from long time ago regarding the identity of the "two Elizabeths". And maybe, now you can sort of guess why Allen is really fond of calling Gwen's long name: Guinevere Elizabeth._

 _EDIT: almost forgot to mention this but, for those who don't know, Sandra is a in-game character in ANB. I just unlocked her in my playthrough and I just know that I HAVE to add her in this story. ^^_


	3. The Strega's Origin

_hinamoririma: hey, it's nice to hear from you! The new character identities would slowly be revealed as the chapters progress... and as for Neil, yea... gotta be patient on that one, too... hehehe_

* * *

 _Gwen hated to go home, because going home these days only reminded her of the fact that Reine was in the clinic, hopefully still fighting for her life. These days, she began to ponder over their lives up to this point. They were born not too far apart from each other, but enough to weaken their mother considerably due to the prolonged, consecutive deliveries—a part of her couldn't help but wonder whether that contributed to their mother's untimely death, being too weak to handle the injuries. Their father, on the other hand, had no possibility of surviving; from what she heard, his neck was snapped in the horrendous accident, it was an immediate death._

 _For all the life she could remember, Reine had been her only real family, her tether to this world. When she began to fall sick, when the sickness turned out to be deadlier than what they thought initially, Reine had always been there, waiting for her, tending to her. Gwen knew she would have given up and let go a long time ago, if it hadn't been for Reine._

 _Before she knew it, her legs had brought her to the river area. It was there she met the blood-haired vampire. His icy eyes glinted at her. "Oh, Guinevere Elizabeth."_

 _"…what are you doing here?" she asked._

 _"Isn't it obvious? I'm taking a break." He smirked. "You're lucky, actually, running into me right now. Really lucky! You see, I'm getting to feel thirsty."_

 _Gwen gulped. A thirsty vampire and her being in the luck? She remembered he used the word 'lucky' to describe his past victims, too—maybe, today was her day?_

Be careful what you wished for _, she thought bitterly._

 _"…I was going to get some tea. You don't have anything to do, right? I'm feeling pretty good, today, so I'll take you along with me if you'd like! Come on!"_

…tea?

 _The vampire grabbed her wrist and led her out from the river, but she was so flabbergasted at him that she didn't move at all. Allen looked back in confusion. "Hey, what's wrong? Come on, let's get a move on!"_

 _Just like that, he practically dragged her to the restaurant. He even ordered the tea and dessert for her. When their food was served, Gwen was still trying to get used to the fact that a vampire had just asked her out for tea._

 _"What's up? It's my treat, so you don't have to hold back! Eat, come on!"_

 _Gwen took a tentative bite on the strawberry shortcake. The cake was so soft it practically melted on her tongue, while the cream was so velvety. It had been so long since she had one._

 _"Thank you."_

 _"I invited you here, it's only proper that I pay. Having a woman to pay for herself while eating with me goes against what I stand for."_

 _Gwen chuckled. "In what time are we in? Middle Ages?'_

 _Allen returned her smile with another of his. "No matter the time, being a gentleman is always the thing, Guinevere Elizabeth. You just haven't met the right man yet—not until me, at least."_

 _Gwen took another bite from her cake, this time letting the fork linger longer on her tongue just to lick the cream clean. "So, you think you're this man for me?"_

 _"I don't just_ think _, Guinevere Elizabeth, I_ know _," Allen retorted. "Just like I know that this cake is your favorite, and how you've been depressed ever since what happened to Reine."_

 _"How about the fact that I haven't eaten this cake ever since Reine's first accident, five years ago, because Reine took a later bus so that she could buy me some of these?"_

 _There was a fleeting look of surprise, and Gwen didn't miss it, but Allen managed to regain his composure just as fast. "Now I know."_

 _"Nevertheless, I'm happy… for what you did," she assured him. "You know, earlier I thought you're going to drink my blood. This is definitely better than that."_

 _"What?"_

 _"Earlier, you said you were thirsty and I was lucky… how else was I supposed to think?"_

 _Allen laughed. "Fair enough, but relax, Guinevere… even when I do drink blood, I've been restricting myself to animals for centuries."_

 _"…Why?"_

 _Allen put his fork on the empty plate, and it was then Gwen realized she had finished hers, too. "Hm, seems like we've both finished. You look much better, too. I'll see you later."_

 _He never answered her last question._

* * *

Just like that time, she ended up in the river area, too. And just like that time, she bumped into Allen, again. This seemed to be his favorite spot, and she could see why. The sound of the breeze and the river flow really calmed one's heart.

"We meet here again. You're looking for me?"

"Not… exactly. You seem to be here a lot, too."

Allen laughed briefly and sat on the laid down trunk, patting the spot next to him. "Come on, don't be shy, I'll make some time for you."

Gwen wasn't expecting anyone's company, but then again, she would feel bad if she turned him down. Besides his obvious ego and sass, he's actually pretty nice. The brunette then sat next to him, watching the river as it moved downstream.

"Reine's been doing well, I heard."

She nodded. "She's recovering pretty fast. She's always been like that."

"You did tell me she got into an accident in the past."

She nodded again. "It was when everything really changed for us."

Silence settled down between them. In that time, Gwen couldn't help but to watch Allen next to her. Sitting still, he looked just like a work of art.

"…how about you?" she asked in a low voice before she realized it.

"Hm?"

"You know… the change. You used to be human, right?"

"Right," he confirmed. "I might tell you if you ask in a cute way."

Gwen puffed her cheeks. "Oh, come on!"

Allen chuckled amusedly. "I was a human once, long long time ago. In those times, surviving to my age was something worth celebrating, so I did. With the meager coins I saved up painstakingly, I treated a few of my buddies for some ale. And then I went home, alone, along a dark, dingy alley. I passed a man, all of a sudden he pushed me against a wall and stabbed me again and again and then left me to die. Just like that. You see, Guinevere Elizabeth? Death does not choose, you cross his path, you die—at least that's what I thought was going to happen to me."

"But it's not."

"Obviously I could barely open my eyes when another man appeared. He crouched down and took some of my blood on his hand and drank it. Then he bit my neck, wishing me luck. He carried me on his shoulder and brought me to a mansion, and that was when I closed my eyes in pain. The pain from my wounds was replaced with the one on where he bit me, and then it spread throughout my body, down to the ends of my fingers and toes. I didn't know how long had passed, but I would never want to repeat those days anymore. When I woke up, I was what you see now."

"A vampire."

Allen laughed softly. "Those days they called us something else… _strega_ —I think that's it. Anyway, that man became my mentor in many ways, especially the etiquettes of a gentleman and the art of seduction, important survival skills at that time. Of course, as time passed, I gained other important skills as well."

"Like styling people's hair?"

Allen poked her cheek faintly. "You're quite the curious cat, aren't you? Look, the sun almost sets, you better go home soon."

"How about you?"

His hand moved from her cheek to the crown of her head, patting it gently—almost affectionately, she might even say. "It's very adorable for you to worry about me, but I can take care of myself. You, on the other hand, are a different matter altogether. What would you do without me, hm?"

"Be a normal human?"

He smiled. "You're still a normal mortal, Guinevere Elizabeth. Now, off you go."

Allen watched she left before turning his head to enjoy the river again. While a number of ladies had expressed interest in his life, this could very well be the first time he complied to such inquiry. He smiled sadly at that thought— _she_ had never asked him, had she known the truth, after all? Moreover, Gwen's last question brought up a certain memory that it was not the river he saw before his eyes but the recollection of that particular time.

* * *

 _The wind was picking up its pace, so she decided to arrange her hair into a braid. He watched as her slender fingers began to divide her hair into sections and then intertwine them, one with the other. "Would you let me do it for you?"_

 _She looked at him and then let out an incredulous laugh. "You? Do my hair? Do you even know how?"_

 _"I'm a fast learner," he assured her._

 _She weighed in her options for a moment, then finally she nodded. "Come closer."_

 _He complied. "Place your fingers where mine are," she instructed, and he obeyed. She pulled her fingers away when his were in place, for a moment, their skin brushed against each other and Allen reveled in the warmth that gave him._

 _"First, you would want to set how braid tightness, the more you pull on them, the tighter the braid would be. Then, you start by putting this one over to the middle, then the other one… then just do it over and over again."_

 _He felt the softness of her hair on his finger, as well as how her warm breath touched his skin as he began braiding her hair. It was not as easy as it seemed, but he didn't let that show. Finally, when he almost reached the end of her long hair, she gave him a ribbon and he tied it around her braid. When he looked up, he was greeted by her smile. "It's not bad for your first attempt."_

 _"Of course, dear Elizabeth… who do you think I am?"_

 _For the briefest moment, he could see a troubled expression passing by her face, but it was soon replaced by another smile from her. "My love," she said in a soft voice. "My one, true love."_

* * *

That time, he was so moved by her declaration that he pushed the memory of her troubled face deep into an abyss in his head. Looking back, it brought Allen a question he knew he would never get an answer for:

"Could it be… that you've known all along?"

* * *

 _Allen's origin has been revealed..._

 _Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

 _Thanks for reading! Please rate and review! ^^_


	4. The Moirai's Vow

_Sorry for the long wait, enjoy this chapter guys! ^^_

* * *

Reine traced her fingers on Gwen's face slowly and carefully, literally trying to memorize the texture of her face. Her fingers travelled across her twin sister's cheeks, temples, then closing in on her eyes, nose and then lips. She tried to remember how the pointed end of her nose felt like, and then the curve and warmth of her lips, and then the tip of her cheek. She could hear Gwen drawing in a slight breath when she stopped moving.

When she pulled her hand, Reine felt the weight leaving the mattress she was on, and then there was another weight—considerably heavier. She reached out again and felt slightly coarser skin meeting the tip of her fingers. Just like before, her fingers roamed across the surface; this skin felt much warmer's than Gwen's; his jawline slightly wider, and when she moved her hands to the top of his head, she felt the sharp end of his hair tickled her. "Rod."

She felt a sudden warmth enveloping her body, and she could smell a distinctive scent in her nose: something like a dog's, but not quite so. "You can tell it's me!"

His voice was so near and almost unbearably loud. She could feel his excited voice echoed in her head. "Not so loud, Rod," she said.

"Oh, sorry…"

"There's… one more?"

"How do you—"

"It's me!"

"Of course."

Gwen watched anxiously as Hati took a seat across Reine and allowed Reine to 'see' her for the first time. For some reasons, Hati was so attached to Reine; despite Reine's coldness, Hati would never be too far from Reine's room in the clinic. At times, Hati would bring Reine some wild fruit from the woods, and somehow she always brought the ones Reine was fond of—or at least used to be fond of… how could she know about it? Gwen tried asking Hati about her identity, but like many residents of this town, Hati refused to answer. At least, she assured Gwen that she meant no harm to Reine—or to anyone Reine cared about. That should be enough, for now.

"You… look like me and Gwen. Is that right?"

"Bingo!"

"What's the color of your hair?"

"It's brown on the top, blond at the end."

"Eyes?"

"A bit of purple and green."

Reine listened attentively as Hati described the rest of her to Reine: the color of her skin, her clothes, things like that. Slowly, Reine's eyes moved to meet Hati's and that shocked the latter enough to stop her speech.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Your eyes… they…"

"I estimated your height by your voice. You should be around my height, so your eyes should be around where mine are. Did I get it right?"

"Yes… oh my God… yes!"

* * *

 _Sandra_.

That name remained in Allen's mind, no matter how hard he tried to not think about it. _What is she doing here?_

 _Such a foolish question_ , he immediately told himself. _Of course she would go here. She has nowhere else to go. That bitch._

With this, a long-held suspicion of his had been confirmed. With that, the cold tendrils of grudge began to creep at his heart. _All these years…_

The sound of someone knocking on his front door interrupted his darkening train of thoughts. Allen took a deep breath and went to open the door. A pair of round green eyes greeted him, followed with a ginger smile. Much to his dismay, that smile faded quickly. "Did I come at a bad time?"

 _Guinevere Elizabeth_.

He hated to admit it, but this woman had some kind of power over him; changes in her heart would affect his.

"No, you didn't. Is there anything you need from my expertise—which is a lot?"

She rolled her eyes while chuckling at his response. "No, no, but I'd like for you to meet Reine."

"She's out from the clinic?"

She shook her head. "Not yet, but now she's getting to know the townspeople again. I don't want to leave you out."

Somehow, her last sentence brought warmth into his cold heart; in a breath, he had forgotten all those dark thoughts haunting him. More than her beating heart, or the scent of her blood, her kindness drew him in and entranced him to no end.

He let her take his hand and lead the way.

* * *

Hana sat on her rocking chair and gazed at her intricate weaving despondently. There was a particular spot where the threads were not as tightly bound together like the rest. _That boy_ , she lamented sorrowfully. _What would happen to him now?_

"Thank you for keeping your vow."

The old woman said nothing. She heard the sound of footsteps approaching her, and the scent of ambrosia, mixed with roses, came into her senses. Just about the person who could answer her question.

"Vows made by the Styx are sacred. _Those who defy fate for love_ —"

"— _shall be surrendered to the Goddess of Love_. As such, he is properly in my custody." Aphrodite traced the weaving lightly, and her finger stopped right at where Neil had attempted to tear away. "What a naïve boy…"

"That, he is. And he paid the price for it."

"Not quite," the goddess spoke grimly.

"Do they not have enough?" Hana asked, her voice slightly raised. "Not being able to be together—and are you not aware? That girl lost her only eye and the only connection she had with him. She has nothing left!"

"Hana," the goddess spoke calmly. "I know you are aware of this, but even those who have earned my favor would be faced with obstacles. Love becomes true when it faces adversities and prevails. You twined their strings together, I blessed their love… but none of us have the power to lift the burden they have to bear. We can only bless them so that they are strong enough to face their trials."

Aphrodite's slender finger moved across the weaving, stopping at a particular thread. "And they are not the only ones…"

Hana held her breath. "You don't mean…"

The Goddess of Love smiled, almost mischievously so. "I always love an excellent love story. Lost love, grudge… definitely darker."

* * *

 _Vengeance, Fate, and Love_

 _stay tuned for the next chapter!_

 _Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	5. The Vampire, The Maiden, and The Witch

_Hey everyone, I know the stories come along very slowly, but I hope you guys will be patient with me. Thank you for reading and leaving reviews, it really warms my heart!_

* * *

 _"_ _There was someone new in town," she told him. "They call her 'Sandra'. She is helping the bloodletter."_

 _"_ _I see…"_

 _"_ _I heard she's quite a beauty."_

 _"_ _Oh, really?"_

 _Allen could hear her holding her breath and her heartbeat began to pick up its pace. He looked up and saw her quickly averting her eyes. "Is there anything wrong, dear Elizabeth?"_

 _"_ _Have you been listening to me?"_

 _"_ _With all my heart," he replied. "There is a new maid in town, Sandra, who, according to your sources, is a beauty."_

 _"_ _And?"_

 _"_ _I think that was the end of your sentence."_

 _"_ _I thought you're supposed to meet anyone who moved into this town, m'lord?"_ _Allen noted the slight annoyance in the way she referred to him. This was so adorable, he thought, the chance to rile her up would not come in another fortnight._

 _"_ _That is part of my duty, true."_

 _"_ _I reckon you should've seen her, then."_

 _"_ _Hm… I wonder."_

 _"_ _You told me you're not one to forget a beauty."_

 _He chuckled. She still remembered what he told her way back when they just met. "That, I do. But once my heart is set on one, others do not matter."_

 _"_ _And…?"_

 _He stared into her eyes silently, enjoying the view of her against the empty plains and receding sun. He then laughed and in one quick movement leapt and tackled her into the grass, pinning her beneath him. Colors began to rise on her cheeks, just like a blooming rose, "This… this isn't proper."_

 _"_ _How does 'Countess Rosencrantz' sound to your ears?"_

 _"…_ _what?"_

 _"_ _In simple words, marry me, Elizabeth."_

 _"_ _That…" she stuttered. "I thought your kind don't marry mine."_

 _"_ _There are… exceptions. As long as you want to marry me. So… it's up to you, dear Elizabeth."_

 _"…_ _yes, I will."_

 _He bent down and kissed her, softly at first, and then more fiercely as heat began to rise in his center. They rolled over, he let her took the lead. Her braids came undone into a mess of dark brown locks, but it could not be more beautiful that it had been. "My love," she said softly. "My one, true love."_

* * *

A soft humming led Allen to a solitary hut near the border between the town and the misty forest. It was hauntingly familiar, that tune, came from a time he wished to forget, but couldn't bear to let go at once. With each step taken towards the small, dilapidated hut, visions from those times came on stronger at him. As he reached the door that was basically an assembly of branches tied together with stray roots that could barely hold itself together, he could hear the sound of something bubbling, and constant stirring. There was a faint smell of blood, very thin, but enough to catch his attention.

"My, my, who do we have here?"

"You know very well, _witch_ ," the last word came as a hiss as Allen touched the poor excuse of a door lightly to swing it inward. "Can't get used to the comfort of the inn? The lure of old life too hard to resist?"

"How can I help you, mister?" the old woman asked as sweetly as she could as she kept stirring the concoction in her cauldron— _leeches and lizard scales_ , Allen noted, "—or should I say, Count Rosencrantz?"

"Don't bother. We both know you have little respect for titles."

"On the contrary, m'lord. I _very much respect_ the nobility," the old lady replied with an exaggerated curtsy. "Please pardon my old bones, m'lord."

The heat in that dingy shack and the repulsive sight of the old witch made Allen's stomach churned almost uncontrollably. He could feel slight light-headedness—whatever she was brewing better not touch the humans in town—but he stood his ground. "I have a question, just one."

"Anything for you, m'lord."

"Why did you do it?"

* * *

 _The witch hunt began to gain steam in the mainland brought by misguided, but zealous believers. Misguided, because while Allen knew very well that what they were hunting was very real, they were relying on all the wrong signs. It was like chasing the lion by following a cat's paw prints. The notices of such hunt had reached his notice last night, telling him that some of these believers wished to 'cleanse' his land. Ironic, he knew, for he was very well aware that he should be one of their biggest catches. Perhaps it was the time for him to move on—visit a distant relative? Sickness?—but then his mind wandered to Elizabeth. How would he break the news to her? Should he make haste of their wedding? Perhaps a small, private ceremony and then the papers as soon as possible._

 _"_ _My lord," his butler, a good, docile old man of fifty years old hurried as best as his old legs could afford. "Perhaps you might wish to visit the town post-haste."_

 _"_ _And that is because…?"_

 _"_ _The hunt has begun, my lord, and one of our lads informed me that Miss Burton is—"_

 _The butler needed not to finish that sentence. Allen dashed to the town, not bothering to take his horse when he knew very well how easily he could outpace that mare. He could see black smoke rising from the distance and heard cries of women; he picked up his pace._

 _When he arrived at the marketplace, where the execution was held, he couldn't believe the sight before him. There were people, a lot of them, crowding around three stakes that stood amidst the flames. And there she was, tied to the stake stood at the middle, crying out in pain and distress and whatever hells he could not imagine._

 _At this point, Allen could care less about his cover. He pushed his way through the crowds—not too hard, since they generally moved out from his way—and dashed into the flames, letting its tongues licked at his clothes to reveal his unburned skin, much to the horror of the onlookers. His nails ripped through the ropes holding her at the stake in one swing, and he quickly gathered her into his arms. He made quick work of her burning clothes, ripping through them to prevent more of her skin getting destroyed. The fire had eaten her legs, but nothing above her hips. He took a great leap out from the fire to the nearest rooftop. There was no more doubt—he would transform her and they would go far away from this town. As far as their feet could take them—to the ends of the world, if needed to be._

 _"_ _Allen…" she called weakly, her voice almost a whisper._

 _"_ _Save your breath, everything will be alright, I'll save—"_

 _"…_ _you came." As she muttered the words, Allen saw the life leaving her. Her eyes dimmed and her head fell limp._

 _"_ _Elizabeth," Allen called with urgency. "No, nonononono…"_

 _In an act of desperation, in the full view of the town, he bit into her neck, forcing his venom in while taking as little blood as he could. Allen pumped his venom through her body by pressing her chest over and over again. Elizabeth's skin turned white; when her skin became cold to touch, even against his, Allen was hit by the revelation that not even his venom could revive the dead. When that realization sunk in, Allen stared blankly at Elizabeth's body: half-burned and half-naked, with her now-dull eyes stared into nothing. Below him, the townspeople had gathered with pitchfork and torches. Their hands were shaking, and some of the men even pissed in their pants. There was no silver, but even if there was, he could care less. He let out a loud scream into the sky, and for the first time in centuries, let the more primal side of him took over._

 _With more blood shed on his skin, more of them reaching his senses, he grew stronger. He slashed through their flesh, allowing them to take in the horror of his inhuman healing and regeneration every time they wounded him before he made a quick work of them. When there were no more men, women, or even children, left standing, he stopped moving, panting heavily. The fire on the pyre had ceased, leaving two completely burned bodies on stakes. When he was about to go back to Elizabeth's body, a voice stopped him on his tracks._

 _"…_ _the wonders one can do with a simple whisper."_

 _Allen turned sharply to find a woman with silvery-pinkish hair. She was slender and willowy, with long fingers and manicured nail with red paint. He remembered almost everyone in this town, and he knew he would certainly remember someone like her. She could only be the newcomer. "Sandra."_

 _"_ _My lord," she replied in acknowledgment. "The distress call had been made. The knights are half-day march away."_

 _"_ _You…" the realization sunk in. "You did this?"_

 _She let out a long, shrilly laugh. Allen lunged at her, intending to grab her neck to force an answer out of her, but she dissolved into ravens that dispersed swiftly while cawing._

* * *

"I saw the gaoler's records. You specifically named Elizabeth Burton."

"That, I did."

" _Why?_ "

The old woman continued stirring. "Five leeches that had just drank maiden's blood, scales of forest lizard that was in transitioning phase… it still misses one important ingredient—a maiden's heart. Preferably one whose blood was sucked by the leeches."

Allen dashed across the room, grabbed Sandra's wrinkly neck and rammed her against the surprisingly sturdy wall. "Are you telling me you burned her to death just so that you can stay young?! You know very well that they're looking for _you_! I gave you shelter in my town, you ungrateful bitch!"

"M'…lord…"

"Don't you even try!"

Allen tightened his grip around her, but he was suddenly tormented by an unbearable pain in his palm. He tried his best to resist, to just kill her and be done with it—now that he had the answers to why. "You… _you're supposed to be the one burned at that stake_."

The red-haired vampire was suddenly knocked back by an unseen force and his body slammed the wall across the shack—it was a wonder that the shack still stood where it was—and suddenly Dunhill appeared between the two of them.

"Allen, remember our rule— _be open-minded_."

" _She killed my betrothed!_ "

When Allen tried to strike the old witch again, Dunhill took a step and slapped him across his cheek with an unbelievable force. Suddenly, his right hand was covered in a pure silver gauntlet, burning the skin beneath it. "W-what?!"

Dunhill removed the gauntlet with a flick of his wrist, but the damage had been done—Allen's lower arm had turned brown from the burn. "Consider that as a warning, Allen. No amount of past vendetta could justify an unprovoked attack within the border of this town."

"Her very presence here is a provocation."

"You know that does not count, Allen."

He pointed at the cauldron, heaving while he did so out of pain. "That… cauldron. There's blood in it."

"As long as she does not mean harm—"

They were interrupted by Gwen's sudden appearance. Her eyes were staring blankly into the distance, clearly under a spell. Before anyone could do anything, or even say anything, Dunhill clapped his hands and snapped Gwen out from that trance. The young woman fell to the ground, but Allen caught her just in time. He glared at Sandra, and then Dunhill. " _This_. Is this not enough?!"

"There was no real harm done to Gwen," Dunhill pointed out. "Although, you might want to see Klaus to make sure of it—and your hands too."

"Are you defending her because she's one of your—"

"And you, Sandra," Dunhill turned to face the old witch. "The humans in this town is not for toys, prey, or anything beneath being fellow townspeople."

Dunhill waved his hand again. A strong wind blew in and killed the flames brewing Sandra's concoction as the content in the cauldron magically receding. Suddenly, the old witch let out a loud shriek as she clenched tightly to her neck. It went on for a few seconds before she fell limp to the ground. "That's a warning for you," Dunhill said flatly. "We lift our Mist from you, but you will obey our laws."

Dunhill dispersed with a gust of wind, leaving Allen with Sandra again, but now with an unconscious Gwen in his arms. He lifted Gwen up and turned back, but not before he told the witch: "I swear to all gods, whichever gods, if you dare to lay your filthy fingers on her… the law of this town be damned. I'll bring you to Hell with me."

* * *

 _Allen's utter hatred for the town's newcomer is now revealed._

 _What would happen next?_

 _Stay tuned to find out!_

 _Thanks for reading, please rate and review!_


	6. Vaughn Gaiden: Meeting Her

_Hey everyone, is back! I know it's been some time since the last update, but I hope you guys would be patient with me. The upcoming chapters would be sort-of a side story of Vaughn... why? Well, let's just say that Vaughn is too interesting of a character not to have a side story of himself. Of course this would be related to the main story... how? No spoilers, hehehe_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

Mark passed him a file. There was nothing unusual about it—at least, not until he saw the name written on it. A pang of sadness seized his chest; he could do nothing but to hold his breath. A part of him never wanted to remember it, to move on, but another part of him still yearned for her. "I thought you might wanna… you know what, I—"

"I'll do it," he said decisively. "Thanks, Mark."

Vaughn took the file and keep it inside his pocket. Walking towards the door, his steps came to sudden halt when Mark said: "I care about her too, you know."

His voice choked in his throat. The bitterness he thought he had buried deep inside him began to resurface. Unknowingly to him, he clenched his fist so hard. "Of course," he finally managed to say.

* * *

Vaughn never thought he would make his way back here. After all, part of his punishment was to leave from these isles. Indeed, they did not ban him from returning, but he chose not to for the best. At least, not until today. The town barely changed in the years that had passed by, he did not have any difficulty to find his way to where he was supposed to be. It was almost a second nature to him, the way to her home. When he made it to the ranch, he saw the green expanse of the pasture, and the lines of corns and tomatoes that was waiting to ripe. A young woman, not more than twenty years of age, was tending to the fields, someone he had no knowledge of. Perhaps, he thought bitterly, she was the proof of her moving on with life—as she should be, he told himself.

The silver-haired angel perched himself on the roof of the farmhouse. From there, he had the best view of the ranch as a whole. She was the one who told him that, and he still remembered the hours they let to pass by as they watched the earth and the horizon transformed to their many faces. Good times, they were, times that he would never get back. Vaughn closed his eyes and sharpened his senses. He could hear some activities from inside the house. _She must have been there_ , he thought, _what is she doing?_ He could imagine her, prancing about the house, cleaning, dusting, cooking—there was always something to be done. Or, perhaps now someone else would be doing it for her? Slowly, his thoughts began to wander back in time, back when it all started…

* * *

Vaughn looked up at the faded sign, _this must be it_ , he thought to himself. He looked around, there were not so many people around. This was, after all, a quaint town in the midst of isolated isles. The kind of place whereby one either was born in it or got stranded at it. Nevertheless, there was something in this place that convinced his superiors that he should come take a look, at least two or three days each week. What was it, he wasn't told about it, but from his powers, he could see vague visions of fire and broken earth. They told him everything had been arranged for him. Mirabelle, the owner of the local animal shop, would regard him as her usual animal trader and supplier. Vaughn had been in the Corps for quite a while, but this would be his first cover on Earth, so a part of him did feel rather nervous. _It would be best just to shut up and observe_ , he told himself, _nothing could go wrong_.

Mirabelle, a plump woman in her late thirties, greeted him warmly as he crossed the threshold of the shop. She beckoned him to walk into the back of the store, where she maintained her living quarter together with her only daughter, Julia. "Just put your suitcase in your room and come here now," she said firmly. Vaughn let his instincts to guide him; thankfully, when he entered the room at the corner of the building no one complained, so he must have gotten it right. He put down his wooden suitcase—it did not have much but spare clothes, toiletries (angels need to keep clean too, you know) and some books to read, honestly—and then headed back to the dining room.

It turned out that Mirabelle was waiting for him just outside his door, her face frowned in worry as she studied him. Vaughn's first thoughts were that the spell was not strong enough and Mirabelle realized that she had just let a complete stranger inside her home. "Oh, look at you! Was it a hard journey? Did your ship get caught in the storm?"

"Wha—"

"There's a very bad storm two or three days ago, so we thought you might not come this week." Julia explained, and then her mouth formed a big grin, "but seeing you're alive and well I guess the storm didn't catch your ship, eh? There's a new girl in town, stranded. Her ship was blown by the storm."

"Oh, really?"

"She's taking over that abandoned farm, which means we're gonna have more business soon." Julia continued, still smiling. "She's a nice one. You might like her."

Vaughn shrugged and sat across her. "Don't think so."

The three of them then ate dinner accompanied with casual conversations. Taro and his back problem, Elliot being clumsy… the names sounded strange and to be honest he didn't really care about them.

"Vaughn, dear, can you take a look on Bessie after this? I know you must be tired and all, but ever since last Friday, Bessie hadn't been eating well. I'm really worried."

"Sure," he said simply. Suddenly, his vision changed into the view of the front door of the shop being opened, and the bell chimed. Before he could see more of it, what he had just witnessed happened, with Mirabelle standing up at the sound of the bell. "Oh, Chelsea!"

"Mirabelle," a new voice greeted amicably. The voice was light, but not airy. Not too sharp, but definitely not on the lower register. Vaughn looked over his shoulders; he couldn't really see who was it.

"Vaughn, c'mere!"

He looked at Julia, who gestured to him to quickly approach Maribelle. He did just that and finally saw who the visitor was. The first thing he noticed was her eyes, round and wide in the color of the sea. Her nose was small with a rather flat end. When she smiled wide enough—which had happened three times in the time when he first laid his eyes on her and when he made this observation—there was a small dimple at the bottom right corner of her lips. Her straight hair fell to her back, brown, like freshly made hot cocoa. There were other little details of her that he noticed, and then he wondered why he noticed them at all.

"…Vaughn? Have you been listening?"

"—what?"

Mirabelle sighed. "As I was saying, this is Chelsea, the new farmer I told you about earlier."

 _Oh, the stranded girl_ , he noted. "—I was thinking perhaps she could accompany you to the barn to help you."

"I don't need help," he said quickly.

"I'd love to help!" she said almost at the same time.

Mirabelle smiled approvingly. "Vaughn here is our animal dealer. He knows a lot about them, so you might want to learn a thing or two."

"That is, if you can get him to talk to you!" Julia quipped.

Mirabelle switched her glance to him. "Now, Vaughn, please go to the barn with Chelsea?" she said it as if it was a question, but the firm tone in her voice assured him that it was meant as an instruction. He could see that no amount of arguing would lead to different result. Left with no choice, Vaughn shrugged and led her to the barn—his vision guided him to the correct path. When he reached the barn, just right next to the shop, he took a quick view of each pen, until he found a cow that seemed to be less energetic than the rest. He placed his hand on her head, and let the emotions flowed into him. He could feel the stuffiness in the cow, the nausea that it felt… it seemed that she had been eating something she shouldn't have been eating… bad hay?

"Will she be okay?"

Chelsea's sudden question prompted him to open his eyes; much to his surprise, her large blue eyes were watching him intently. He started to caress Bessie, both to calm his own nerves and not to raise suspicion. "She just ate some bad hays a few days before. Nothing to be worried about."

"Oh, earlier Mirabelle told me that while we're at it she wondered if we could feed them."

He nodded silently. "I'll take that row, okay?"

Chelsea walked towards the fodder bin near the entrance and began to haul some hays—two at a time. He must admit, she seemed to be stronger than her small frame suggested. He quickly snapped out of his thoughts and made his way to the bin as well. The sooner he finished this, the sooner he could get rid of her and be left alone.

 _Chelsea_.

His visions showed him the eventual end of their job. Nothing much, just her saying goodbye. Her blue eyes found him once more, and she smiled. _Nice to meet you_ , she would say. It wouldn't be for long.

But perhaps, he didn't want for it to come _that_ soon, after all.

* * *

 _Stay tuned for the next update!_

 _Thanks for reading, please rate and review :)_


	7. Vaughn's Gaiden: Loving Her

Vaughn thought the new girl in the town was an oddball. For some reasons, he always found her hanging around Mirabelle's when he arrived. Not only that, she always brought a bowl of freshly-made porridge and gave it to him. The bowl was always still warm when he touched it. She never stayed for too long, she never waited for him to finish the porridge, but he never waited until the morning to enjoy it in the solitude of his corner.

On his part, he made it a point to quickly return the bowl to her. He would wash it, put it on the drying rack overnight, and walked to her farm with it first thing in the morning. The journey to her farm never really varied. He would see the old mayor walked out and swept the dust and fallen leaves in front of his house, hunched back and all; he would see the midget gourmet making his morning rounds trying to find some wild berries; and then, on the walk up the gentle hill leading to her farm, he would see her toiling on her farm. She would wrap her fingers around the handle of her watering can; sometimes, when it was full, she would need both hands to haul it up. She would stagger to the field area, trying her best not to spill the water. Every time he saw that in his visions, he—not that he would admit it even to himself—wanted to make his steps wider and quicker, but his head stopped him from doing that. He was supposed not to know that, he was supposed to blend in with the townspeople… he was supposed not to be too eager to meet her—not at all. So, he would always take a deep breath and walked in even steps, like he thought how it should be. And then, he would not stay for long; he never agreed to her invite for a short morning tea. He has work to do, he would tell her, and he knew she would understand that working with animals would need punctuality. She never held him back from his work—at least from the one that she knew of.

If so, why he began to leave earlier? _I just woke up earlier_ , he would tell himself, although it did not really explain why he always opted to take morning cold shower than a five-minute snooze to completely wake himself up for the day. He never quickened or widened his steps, but God knows why these days he arrived just in time to see her walking towards the well to refill her watering can. She was just lucky, he reasoned, because that day it just so happened that she slipped and he reached her just in time to prevent her falling with that heavy watering can. Didn't manage to save the water, though, because for God-knows-why she threw the can up when she slipped and he didn't manage to catch that in time. Instead, the water rained down upon them—him, mostly—and the empty can fell with a thud right on his cowboy hat.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" she said frantically as he just stood there, drenched to the bone.

"It's fine," he assured her while taking off the neckerchief and squeezed the water out from it. "Careful next time."

Much to his surprise, she grabbed his arm and dragged him to her house, "You need to dry off quick! I have some towels…"

He wanted to shrug her off, he knew he needed to shrug her off, but she was having none of it and the next thing he knew was that he was already sitting on her couch with a thick, dry and warm towel on his head and her standing in front of him, ruffling his hair with the said towel. Somehow, the thought of letting her to be so close sent down a rush in his spine, so he wordlessly pushed her hand aside and dried himself off by himself. "Uh… your clothes…."

"I'll change at Maribelle's."

"Right… sure—oh, thanks for the bowl by the way."

 _Should be me thanking her_ , he thought, _but, oh well_.

He took away the towel when he felt his hair was already dry enough. "Hey, if the can is too heavy for you… ask the old man. Maybe he has a better can."

"I can't do that!" she replied almost instantly, slightly surprising him. "I've troubled him enough as it is. I just have to get stronger quickly." She ended her sentence with a sheepish grin, as if she was trying to make it sound easy. Maybe she did not know how hard the path ahead—or maybe she knew, but she tried to smile it away.

Whatever it was, one thing he knew for sure, her smile started something in him, something he was not truly prepared for. It was almost ironic, and definitely humbling, that he could not foresee this exact moment. But he knew he wanted to savor each and every moment with her.

* * *

Today, he has dropped by the farm to return her bowl again. By this time, it had become a routine for him. He had even stopped by early enough for a chat with her, or to take a look at her animals. Vaughn still thought she was an oddball for not minding his company, also for the way her smile and laugh made him feel, but he learned not to mind it too much. He might even start to enjoy it, and looking forward for the next time he needed to return her bowl. He even accepted her invitations to accompany her to the festivals, trying his best to be in town on the dates of the festival. Not that he would admit it out loud, but Vaughn began to cherish this small town life.

Then, it happened. That day, she was not watering her field, like she would usually do around this time when he dropped by. She was just sitting in front of her house, cross-legged with her chin on her hands, staring into distance. He felt like some heavy weight was being dropped onto his chest when he saw that. Nonetheless, he tried his best not to look so affected by it and casually walked towards her. The dull sound of his heavy boots beating against the almost damp ground alerted her of his presence and she raised her head to look at him, "Hey, Vaughn. How are you?"

"Just the same. Not watering your field?"

She shook her head. "It's been either raining or cloudy these days. No need to water them."

Vaughn looked up at the sky. It was indeed true that the weather had been unusually somber, especially for a midsummer season. His sources also mentioned abnormal movements beneath the seas surrounding these isles. He was to stay alert while waiting for further instructions. It was then he could see the storm cloud began to gather from the direction of the sea. They began slow, but quickly gained their pace and the sky turned considerably darker. Then, he could feel his heart skipped a beat as his skin sensed the ominous energy pressure. Vaughn immediately knew he couldn't wait for instructions from the headquarters—not if he wanted to keep the casualties at minimum. "Hey, go inside and lock your door. A storm is coming."

"Oh—you're right. Shit! I have to lock the barns!"

Vaughn helped her to lock all of the doors and windows to the barn and the coop, as well as the tool shed. He only left the farm after he was sure that the farmer girl had locked the entrance to her house and her windows as well.

The silver-haired cowboy ran towards the beach. As he passed the town, he saw that the townspeople had also noticed the sudden weather change and made their way back to their homes. Vaughn ignored Maribelle and Julia calling for him and kept running towards the shore, gradually allowing his divine-blessed power to take over his body to help him run against the wind.

When he finally arrived at the beach, he saw that the waves had receded as the water gather to form a towering pillar. Vaughn could sense a strong spiritual presence at the eye of the storm. He gritted his teeth, wondering whether he would be able to take on the creature by himself. He knew he didn't have much time to think. A pair of feathered wings appeared on his back and he summoned his lance. Vaughn dashed towards the ocean, leaping when he reached the end of the shoreline and flew towards the top of the pillar. He looked down and saw a serpentine creature slithering on the surface of the water. Each time it howled, the wind seemed to grow stronger and so were the waves.

He knew he had to act fast. Vaughn took a deep breath and dived down into the eye of the storm with his lance aimed at the head of the creature. He did manage to impale it, but his opponent violently trashed its body around and in the process threw Vaughn out from the storm, only to be sucked in again before he could catch his breath, this time being part of the storm together with the trees, boulders, and all of other things that was sucked into the storm too. Vaughn fought for his breath while looking for a way to get back to the eye. When his hand managed to split the water and reached the center again, Vaughn used his wings to propel him back face to face with his enemy. Vaughn looked up and found a pair of red, murderous eyes looking back at him. Vaughn took his lasso, now as strong as steel, and threw it at his opponent, managing to latch on one of its horns. The warrior-angel used all his strength to pull the creature down at him and leaped on its head. Nonetheless, gaining control of a spiritual beast was not like calming a terrified bull. Vaughn held onto dear life as the creature swung its head to and fro in an attempt to dismount him.

" _Heed my command!_ " he cried out in the ancient language of the divine, but he soon learned that his remaining spiritual power was simply not enough to force the creature into submission. Instead, the water dragon managed to throw him off-balance way back to the shore; luckily, he landed on the sand instead of some boulders. When he was about to head back to the sea again, he felt some presence behind his back. He turned his head and, much to his horror, saw the townspeople walked calmly towards the sea despite the storm. All of them had the same empty look in their eyes. Vaughn reached the nearest person to him and grabbed his arm, but the person simply shook his hand off and walked towards the storm as if nothing was wrong. Vaughn tried to tackle another person down, but that person just stood up and continued walking. It was then he noticed her red bandanna amongst the crowd. Just like the others, her blue eyes were dull and empty. Vaughn cursed under his breath and ran towards her, tackling her down to the sand with all of his body. But, just like the other, she just stood up afterwards and kept walking; she didn't even bother to dust off the sand on her clothes and body. In his desperation, Vaughn held her hand and forced some of his power into her. Her eyes immediately sparkled back with life and she finally noticed him, with her mortal eyes empowered to see his true form thanks to his desperate measure. "Vaughn?" she called. "Stay here," he instructed curtly. Not wasting any more time, not to even think about the consequences of his earlier action, Vaughn looked back at the sea; the storm was still raging on, and now the front line of the townspeople was already knee-deep into the water.

The silver-haired man dashed back to the eye of the storm, piercing the back of his enemy's throat as it was about to howl once more. With the howl interrupted, the storm receded slightly. "Not so much without that shriek, eh?" he snickered in satisfaction as he pulled his lance and jumped out from its mouth. He was about to deliver another blow when suddenly the storm was split in two, and the water dragon with it, much to Vaughn's surprise. The force of the blow itself was powerful enough to create a huge wave, pushing back the wave of the hypnotized townspeople to the beach. As the dragon's body fell into the water and the storm began to disappear, Vaughn saw another of his kind, with smooth golden hair, brilliant blue eyes, and cheerful smile so unbefitting the weather nor what had just transpired in front of his eyes.

"The name's Mark. I was told you could use some help against this Leviathan."

It took some moments for Vaughn to register his words. Even then, all he could mutter was a mumbled 'um, thanks'. Nevertheless, his mind was immediately alerted towards the townspeople—her, especially. Vaughn immediately raced back to the shore, finding her in the midst of unconscious townspeople. He grabbed her and shook her up again and again, "Hey, get ahold of yourself!"

Much to his relief, she slowly opened her eyes. She smiled at the sight of him. "You're like an angel…"

* * *

 _Next part would be the finale of Vaughn's Gaiden._

 _Stay tuned to find out._

 _Thanks for reading, please rate and review ^^_


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